Neymar and Barcelona will stand trial on corruption charges in relation to the signing of the Brazilian back in 2013 after losing his final appeal.
The complaint was initially brought forward by Brazilian investment group DIS and it will also see Neymar’s former Brazilian side Santos and the company run by his parents stand trial after they also lost their respective appeals.
DIS were entitled to 40% of the transfer to the Catalans but received a significantly smaller amount as the true price of the fee was concealed from public records.
Prosecutors are seeking a two-year prison sentence and a €10m fine for Neymar and his father based on corruption charges, although as they are first-time offenders any sentence which would see them serve prison time is unlikely.
The prosecution is also seeking a fine of €9m from the Blaugrana and €7m from Santos.
Barca had already paid of €5.5m to the Spanish tax authorities after admitting error in the ‘fiscal planning’ of the transfer last year, while last year also saw Lionel Messi and his father sentenced to 21 months in prison for tax fraud – but these cases were suspended as the sentence was less than two years and they had not previously offended.
